Prototype

The prototype space measures 2.3m in length, 2.1m in height and 1.3m in width.








The bottle that can record and playback:

Instructions

As required, it is the proposed prototype of how we visualize the actual place to be, participants will so far able to walk through the set up location in a dark room ambience that provides security and mystery. It is the closest experience we can create with our limited resources and knowledge.
Upon entering the dark room experience, when user will be attracted to the voices coming out of the bottles and pick one up to listen. As they listen, they are able to relate to the secrets and will feel connection between them and the user.
In between the random secrets, there will be a short instruction to prompt user to record their own secret by pressing the red button on the bottle.
After understanding what to do, user will listen to the bottle which is able to record secrets and playback the recorded secrets submitted by other fellow participants.
To record voice, press and hold the red button as you speak your secret and let go of it when done. The LED light within the bottle would turn red during recording, and will be blue during the rest of the time. The audio is recorded and will be included in the bottle.
We also intend to add spring to the strings to make the bottle ‘bounce’ to give the effect of bottles drifting and floating on the sea.

Enhancements

future enhancement.
Other than this project being just a concept prototype, if given enough resources, support and time, this project has the potential of becoming a real installation and could be publicized for participation from the public.
If provided an actual dark room to walk into, appropriate lighting and unwired bottles, users would be able to feel the experience of a safe and polished project, therefore trusting the experience to be a private and protected environment to share secrets.

The contest accepts interactive projects from all over the world and will choose and sponsor 10 projects to be realized and displayed during the festival.The guidelines are to create a public 5mx2m space where places where people meet, socialize, interact, integrate, and experiment, and able to develop a feeling of belonging to a community or to a group. Projects using recycled materials or everyday materials in a creative and innovative way will be favoured.
A more visually appealing bottle could be worked on, if we can get wireless a 2-in-1 microphone and speaker combined… That way, the bottle will not seem as intimidating to have so many wires aka technologies that will scare the user and feel insecure about spilling their secrets.
We also intend to add spring to the strings to make the bottle ‘bounce’ to give the effect of bottles drifting and floating on the sea.
It will also be interesting if the content from the installation is able to be transferred onto the internet immediately and without manual input. For the current prototype, the recordings being recorded into the bottle are being merged as a one as they are being submitted. It will not be able to handle many recordings as the RAM will not be able to take it and will hang. To enhance this, the recordings should be a stand alone recording so they will not take up as much space.

Method of Input

Over the different methods of input (video, images, postcard), we feel that SOUND is the best method to get people’s secrets.

• New experience
  Based on the concept of message-in-a-bottle dating back to a century or even longer, we intend to bring the idea to a higher level. As technology advances, writing on paper is now deemed as traditional over using new devices like the keyboard for typing, camera to take pictures, etc.
  
• Content focused
  Images although are visually appealing and more attractive, they could become distracting and bring away the importance of the data collected.The content (secrets) is what we focus to collect.
  
• Tone
  As voices speak the expression of the user, listeners are able to interpret what the speaker was feeling at that point of time of confession, whether they are sad, angry or regretful, etc.
  
• Anonymity
  Voices do not sound actual, even though they may sound similar to what is heard in real life, but the fact that these voices are being compiled together, participants will be more interested in the content than to figure out who the speaker was, even if so, they cannot 100% confirm whether it was accurately who due to similarity of people’s voices.
  
• File Size
  Video sizes are too huge to maintain. Texts take up little space but we are avoiding text input as we find it too common as the similar projects use that medium.Sound files are so far, the most ideal and manageable option within our limits.

Input Methods

· Blog for a instance, it is used as a source where each individual share their daily experience and a new platform for communication e.g.(www.shinscancerblog.blogspot.com)
Recently XH had been reading about a blog of a cancer patient, her name is Shin. She realizes that she had a breast cancer during she had her 2nd baby, when she realized that there was a coated lump in her breast, on 2005, which was soon diagnosed as breast cancer, she even went through surgery to remove it and all those therapy which always know as killing more cells in her body, just hoping that it will be the cancer cells instead of the others, on 2006.
Unfortunately, the cancer cells had a 2nd out break and it is now back to her breast, brain, lung, and bone. With only like 2 more years to live on she decided to plan and create memory for her kids in future. Because she’s sad not being able to watch her child to grow up and every single day makes her sad. So she is not waiting for the day to come but plan everything out before it happen.

· Video is a new and easier way of expressing the user though and share this experiences with a large audiences. As audience relate themselves easily to movie scenario and get themselves involved in it. Because most movie director did lots of studies and research to relate their movie audience to their movie, by extracting element of it’s audience memory, or things that they might do and bring all of it in to the movie. Hence, it made the movie interesting and meaningful to the audience. And with enhance TECHNOLOGY, movie director are able to reach greater height, by creating futuristic environment, or even create movie set up back century.

· Photography, this technology that was invented back in the 18th century; it acts as a new tool of creating history. With just one snap they are able to capture a photo of the environment the user in and it might be a useful resource for historians.
But recently photos are used “Creating” joyous and memorable moments. This was only possible because cameras easily portable now. For example, our daily phone device they are now build-in with camera and the quality is comparable to our digital cameras. Due to this evolution of technology, photos became one of the most common way for the user to share their experiences.

· Music and voice compared to text and voices or music makes us feel closer to our audience. Because through all this audio input we could feel or even see how the user had express and shown themselves when they are expressing their emotions.

Secret Sharing

Why Share Secrets?
· Dealing with Problems
Oprah Winfrey’s talk show is immensely successful, they only discuss about confessions and life experiences. Oprah Winfrey herself has done drugs, weight issues, suffered abusive relationships, was raped. She talked about all these without an audience, yet overtime more and more people listened to her stories when they could relate to her and started liking her for being open enough to share, candid and earnest. Similarly, people started to share their secrets and experiences too as sharing them is effective in dealing with problems and pain and will help other fellow people solve the same issues too.

· Facing Reality
Gary Ridgeway was a serial killer from Seattle. He wanted to kill his second wife, Marcia. During an argument, he had violently grabbed and choked her from behind. Luckily Marcia told her dad, mom and friends that her husband was abusive and had tried to kill her. Years later when caught by the police, he told them that he indeed wanted to kill Marcia. There was only one reason he did not stage her death, he explained. Because she told so many people, he deduced they would suspect him and he might get caught. Therefore, telling the "secret" saved Marcia's life.

· Courage & Generosity
It takes courage to share secrets. And telling a secret that would be of use to somebody, people will remember you positively as not many have been willing to do that.

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/share-your-secrets-to-be-the-change.html

Why People Listen to Stories

Stories are an important part of our lives, everybody has stories to tell.

Different Types of Stories
(Life Experience/ Knowledge/ Entertainment /Hearsay)
Biography
News
Drama
Gossip
Lessons learnt
History
Movie
Rumour
Love stories
Information
Satire
Superstition
Tragedy
Book
Jokes
Myth/ Legends
Inspirational
Religious
Skit/ Play
Folk lore

1. Knowledge
People expect to learn something from it, be it a new fact, or a lesson learnt.Documentaries, for example, is a good medium for people to gain knowledge about what they might not get to see themselves, the nature, wildlife, other countries’ landmarks & culture, it is a good exploration.

2. Entertainment
To pass time mainly, the story could be exaggerated, or real.Either way, it is something not experienced in our everyday life.

3. Appreciation
A story (e.g. book, TV show, movie) has a storyline, an interesting, continuous flow that leads people into the story.Stories are a form of art, it is creative writing and original.

4. Topic of Interest
It has to be of an issue the listener is concerned about, else attention will not be received.Likewise for any show, people watch it because of attractive actresses or storyline.

5. Relating to Experiences
On a forum, people might tell stories about their situations and problems, expecting solutions, help or understanding. There, listeners come to realise they are actually not alone, that someone else has also gone through a similar experience/phase of life.That way, people can feel less alone and more relieved. Have something to relate to bonds people together.By starting the ball rolling, other people will feel more comfortable to also share and express themselves through storytelling.

6. Lessons learnt
Sharing what they know, and feel is worth remembering and passing down (e.g. life experiences, memories)
Ultimately, all these stories, as they are being told, they are meant to evoke feelings, thoughts into people. Leaving the listener inspired, happy, sad, puzzled, intrigued, etc. The list goes on forever, different stories have a different impact. It could be thought-provoking, allowing them with something to think about, developing or changing their opinions and mindset, widening their view.

7. Reciprocate both ways
When there are people who like to tell stories, there will be people who listen.

8. Loved one
We always listen to stories told by our loved ones, either happenings or facts about themselves because we care, which also is related to our topic of interest. They also aid in bonding with each other as they become closer in heart.

9. Problem-solving
After listening to similar stories, people can find out the already discussed solutions and therefore will be able and be in a better position to make decisions or consider/decipher the best and most appropriate solutions with deeper understanding and perspective of situations and experiences.

10. Points of View
After listening to different stories from different people, we can learn to see things in different angles and be more aware of how to improve things. It could be a new logic learnt, motivating, insight and alternative ways to achieve goals.11. ExpressionThere’s a need to be told. For the better of everyone or just own plain selfish need to rant. Whatever emotion that is being experienced, there is a need to spread the story around.

Introduction of the project

We want to do something on sharing stories, particularly secrets.
Secrets which have been bothering them for a long time and could not tell anyone close to them either due to fear, embarrassment, etc. Based on our research, we realize that simply talking about problems can be empowering, it relates people together.

The purpose of the project is creating a new experience whereby users are able to:
· A platform for sharing secrets anonymously as a form of alleviation or relief.
· Feel a sense of belonging and bonding with the ‘secret-sharing community’
· Reconstruct a mode of communication which allows interaction indirectly
· See the beauty of using recycled materials or everyday materials creatively to become a piece of art

The type of audience we are targeting at people who:
· Have secrets they wish to let out but are unable to express
· Willing to share secrets
· Keen on new methods of sharing secrets

Platform: An analog installation